[Lifespan Remaining: 2 days, 11 hours, 23 minutes.]
“Are you sure that’s enough?”
“Just put it under his tongue. He won’t be able to move until tomorrow afternoon.”
“And if he wakes up?”
“Then we’ll just use psychic magic to put him back to sleep.”
‘You could at least lower your voices…’
Noct kept his eyes shut, but he tried his best to hold down laughter.
Clearly, whoever sent these people was heavily underestimating him.
They were amateurs at best.
The first man had already climbed through the window, followed by the second, while the third stayed near the curtains.
“You said the maid would be gone.”
“She is. Do you see her anywhere?”
“Why the hell do we even care about a maid? Just do the job.”
Footsteps approached the bed, followed by the faint sound of a stopper being pulled from a bottle.
The mattress dipped beside his hip as Noct resisted the urge to pull away as fingers touched his chin.
“Open his—”
CRACK—!
There was a dull thud, followed by a strangling noise that made Noct’s eyes snap open.
Noelle stood beside his bed with one hand over the intruder’s mouth, while her other hand had already broken his neck.
“The maid—!”
The second intruder finally drew his weapon, pulling out a short blade from his belt and rushed toward her.
Noelle simply threw the first intruder’s corpse to the side before dodging the attack entirely.
Her left hand caught the attacker’s elbow, while her foot struck the back of his knee.
The man hit the floor hard, and before he could recover, Noelle pinned his arm to his back.
But while that happened, Noct noticed that the third had already wisely decided to flee, seeing the situation had gotten out of hand.
‘No, you don’t!’
Thrusting out his hand, he recited the incantation.
“O wind, stir and waken!”
〈Ars Gale: Ventus Sectio.〉 — [Wind Blade.]
[Lifespan Remaining: 2 days, 10 hours, 57 minutes.]
A burst of wind crossed the room before Noct could even lower his hand.
The blade of wind found its target, slicing the man’s leg clean off before he could reach the window.
The man hit the floor, but just as he was about to scream in pain, Noelle was already there with a hand clamped around his mouth.
“Quiet.”
He thrashed beneath her, fingers clawing at her wrist.
The maid barely seemed to notice as she pulled a strip of fabric from his coat and bound it tightly above the wound.
Noct glanced at the other intruder, noticing that something black had wrapped around both his wrists and mouth.
At first, Noct mistook it for rope, but when the man struggled, the darkness stretched with him and dragged his arm back against his spine.
‘She really is capable, huh…?’
“Amateurs,” Noelle muttered.
“The whole lot.”
With the fighting over, Noct finally had a moment to look at what had happened.
A severed leg lay next to the window while another man’s corpse was just beside his bedframe.
His stomach turned a little, but he held it in.
If he didn’t do this to them now, this could’ve been him in the near future.
“Young Master?”
“I’m fine,” Noct covered his mouth to suppress a gag.
“Give me a moment.”
After settling down, he looked at the man whose leg he had severed.
“You’re the one who can use psychic magic?”
The man tried shaking his head in denial, but Noct pressed on.
“You sure? Your friend said you could put me back to sleep. So I’m going to give you an option.”
He pointed to the man still pinned to the floor.
“You’re either going to help me alter this man’s memories and live—”
“…Or die right now.”
“I’ll do it!” the psychic-user squealed.
“I’ll do it! Please spare me!”
The answer came quickly, causing the other intruder to begin struggling against his restraints again.
‘So much for loyalty.’
“Make him remember that you succeeded,” Noct said.
“You came into my room, put the pill under my tongue, and left without anyone noticing.”
“Y—yes.”
“Then you split up. He’s supposed to report back to whoever ordered this.”
“I understand.”
Noct glanced toward Noelle.
She dragged the restrained man closer, ignoring the frantic shaking of his head.
The mage reached toward him with a trembling hand.
His companion tried to pull away.
“Stay still,” the mage hissed.
“Just stay still.”
The man’s struggles grew more desperate when the mage pressed two fingers against his forehead.
A purple light appeared, and a few seconds later, the man was unbound from the shadows and freed.
“Where are you going now?” Noct asked to confirm.
“I accomplished the mission,” the brainwashed man muttered.
“I will report back to my superior…”
“Good.”
The man then walked out the window, and a moment later, he was gone.
Hopefully, that would keep whoever had sent them satisfied until morning.
Noelle looked down on the psychic-user finally.
“What should I do with this one, Young Master?”
“…Do whatever you want.”
“Understood.”
The psychic user’s expression changed when she took hold of his collar.
“Wait. You said I could—!”
A strip of shadow covered his mouth.
Noct reached for the grimoire on his bedside table to distract him from whatever was happening.
Behind it, Noelle dragged the man toward the window, before simply dropping the man off.
Then she jumped right after him, and whatever happened next…
Noct didn’t need to know.
***
[Lifespan Remaining: 2 days, 3 hours, 41 minutes.]
The main palace was strangely empty today.
Noelle pushed him through another empty corridor, and Noct was beginning to wonder whether anyone in the main palace had bothered to get out of bed.
“Are you sure this is the right way?”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Because we haven’t seen anyone for a while.”
“The Inner Sanctum is restricted. Most servants aren’t permitted this far inside.”
Well, that still didn’t explain why nobody had been waiting to receive him.
They had passed through the main palace without encountering anyone beyond a few servants preparing for the day.
No escort, instructions, or even someone to tell him where he was supposed to go.
Fortunately, Noelle knew the way.
‘Don’t tell me…’
Vivienne had been quite clear about the time.
He had expected her to send someone, if only to make sure he couldn’t claim that nobody had informed him.
‘Unless she was sure enough that I wouldn’t come.
She really thinks I’m still in bed, huh?’
“Is something wrong?” Noelle asked.
“No. Keep going.”
The doors to the Inner Sanctum were less elaborate than Noct had expected.
Two slabs of pale stone, their surface covered in simple engravings or spell formations.
There were no fancy ornaments, only the Arcadia insignia carved on it.
And even from his wheelchair, he could feel mana seeping through the gap, so much that it almost made him gag.
‘So it’s really here.’
A knight stood beside the entrance.
Unlike the guards upstairs, the man wore a full suit of armor, with a sword resting against his hip.
His gaze moved toward them as soon as the wheels sounded against the stone.
“Young Master Noct?”
“Good morning.”
The knight looked between him and Noelle, clearly confused about the whole ordeal.
“May I ask why you’re here?”
“To enter the Spiral Pool.”
“…I was not informed you would be coming.”
“The First Lady gave her permission last night,” Noct replied.
“Apparently, she forgot to tell you. If you ask any of the servants that was there that night…”
“My apologies, Young Master,” the knight suddenly cut him off.
“I’ve received no instructions to prepare your entry.”
“Does the pool require any further preparation?”
“No. The opening has already begun.”
“Then we’re on time.”
“That is not what I—”
“Has someone else been assigned to enter?”
“No…”
Noct nodded.
At least Vivienne hadn’t gone as far as officially giving it to Rosse yet.
“Amelia was the last of my siblings to use it. I’m next.”
“I understand that.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Your condition, Young Master. I was under the impression that your entry had been postponed.”
Noct sighed.
“So it’s going to be like that, isn’t it?”
Reaching into his pocket, he felt the cool metal on his skin.
The plaque given to all recognized heirs of Arcadia.
“I invoke my authority as an heir,” Noct raised the plaque toward the knight’s direction.
“Do you have any problems with that?”
“I—I…” the man stuttered, but ultimately, he moved aside.
“Please come in, Young Master Noct.”
Noelle began pushing him toward the entrance, but the knight raised a hand.
“My apologies. That permission does not extend to you.”
“The Young Master requires assistance.”
“Only the heir may enter the sanctum.”
“Then I’ll bring him inside and return once he’s settled.”
“I cannot allow that.”
Her grip tightened on the handles.
But before she could argue any further, Noct pulled the blanket from his legs.
“It’s fine.”
“Young Master?”
With more effort than he would’ve liked, Noct planted both feet firmly on the floor before he stood up.
Luckily, the path down was not as treacherous as he thought.
“I’ve got it.”
Noelle slowly withdrew her arm, keeping her hand close until she was certain he wouldn’t fall.
“I’ll be right outside,” she said.
“If anything happens, call for me.”
“Mmm, I’ll be fine.”
And with that, he stepped inside the Inner Sanctum, where the Spiral Pool of Castalia awaited.